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Published: April 26th 2010
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What an amazing place, Florida!! We think we have seen the best and then we move to another area of Florida and its even better. We enjoyed Jim and Deb and their friends so much it was sad to leave them after our week with them. They headed to Sarasota to catch a flight to Seattle and we took off in our little rental car for 2 more weeks of adventure. As adventurous as we can be with a pink lump attached to my right leg.
Jim, Deb, Larry and I did the Kennedy Space Center. We drove from Boca Grande to Titusville and spent most of 2 days at the Center. Very interesting.
We drove from Boca Grande, which is on the West coast of Florida and made our way to Sanibel and Captiva Islands. We reached it by driving to Fort Meyers and then taking a bridge over to these 2 spectacular islands. We stopped at the Tourist Information and they suggested a great little motel. These islands are how the other half lives. Magnificent homes and every brand of car over $100,000. Who are these people? This is definitely a summer resort community so where do
they live when they are not here!! We spent 2 nights here and have decided that spending 2 nights at each place is very much more relaxing then just 1 night. We arrive in a new area, check into a hotel, get our bearings and get settled, go out and prowl around. Often eat out or eat out of our cooler. Cold meat, cheese etc. It is very relaxing. The next day we have the whole day to take a city tour, see the shops (of course, from the outside). Decide where we are going to eat. I am still working on my Accounting 1 (I will mail chapter 5 tomorrow) so when we spend some time in our room I work on that and Larry watches poker, golf etc.
We left Sanibel and arrived in Homestead, Florida, home of NASCAR races. We did our usual 2 night stay and went on a boat ride in Everglade National Park. It was just a 2 hour ride but very nice. Saw Alligators and Crocs and some dolphins. Lots of birds etc.
We have decided Hampton Inn and Suites are the best. They seem to range any where from $52
- 119 a night. It includes great wireless, hot and cold breakfasts and in one of them a happy hour with Wine and Beer and hot and cold appetizers. We picked up a coupon book somewhere and it has been invaluable.
After the Alligators we left Homestead and headed to Key West. If I only had 2 good legs I probably would have been poorer or badly sun burned. Gorgeous little shops, that I just couldn't get into with my crutches and not bear weight on my foot and can you imagine what the bed would look like if I had tromped around on the icing sugar style sand. Those are the 2 things that make a holiday for me. We did a Trolley car ride here and that let us see and hear about the Keys. We stayed in a B&B that was recommended to us. It was very nice. A little more money then we normally pay but close to the main street and they offered Happy Hour every late afternoon and a great breakfast. These were served by the pool. We met great people there and did some hanging out with them. Dan and Renee from
Illinois. Had dinner with them the last night and then parted ways. Had a wonderful dinner at Blue Heaven. It was spectacular. That is the thing about a B&B, you get the best recommendations of things to see etc.
Left Key West, drove the A1A (the slow beach road, but we are in no hurry) past more amazing home right on the Atlantic Ocean. Spent the night just S. of Boca Ratan. Another gorgeous area. The next day we arrived in Orlando. We spent 2 nights with our nephew, Sandy. Sandy lives in Surrey and works for a company that is building the Harry Potter ride. They built a lot of it in Port Coquitlam and then moved it to Orlando where they have been setting it up since about last Fall. He hopes to be home in June or so. He is the Project Manager so has about 10 staff working around the clock. The ride is at Universal Studios. He rents a very nice Townhouse close to Universal. He only has 1 roomate which is a bonus because he had a room for us. He works horrendous hours but the 2 nights we were there he managed
to be home by 7PM or so. We cooked him a great roast beef dinner the first night and then went out for dinner the 2nd night. We didn't do a single Disney thing or even Epcot or Universal. We will definitely be back when we can do the parks justice. It would be real fun to go with the grandbabies. Larry and I drove to Winter Park, one day a classy little part of town, with brick streets, and great shops. Had lunch and then home for a relaxing late afternoon. Oh, also hit the mall.
Left Orlando, and headed to St Augustine. We stopped for a couple of hours so Larry could do Daytona Speedway. I read in the car and he took a tram ride around the speedway and did the simulated race car drive. He crashed and killed himself!!
Had our picnic lunch on Daytona Beach. What a place. Check out the pictures. It isn't even Springbreak or anything. It was busy.
Arrived in St Augustine yesterday, checked into our Hampton Inn, did a drive around and then did a Ghost Tour. We took lots of pix and there are some wierd things on
the pix. Supposedly, it is ghosts!! We are both too skeptical to have really been taken in but it is interesting. I don't know what the white spots are!! Today, we went on a Trolley Ride and learned all about the history of St Augustine and then I rented a motorized scooter, I rode around and Larry trekked along behind me. Gorgeous old town and very touristy. It started to rain so we headed back to the the rental store and headed home. Right now it is pouring rain and lightening and thundering like we don't see in BC.
Head out tomorrow to Larry's cousin, Greg's. We will spend a couple of days there in Atlanta with he and Jami and then head to the airport for our flight to LAX.
This trip has been wonderful but what a trial for Larry. He carries every piece of luggage, drops me at the door to anywhere and goes and parks and walks back. He tapes my leg in plastic so I can shower. Gets my breakfast from the breakfast bar and delivers it and then goes back for his. All this without a complaint!! Last summer he had his
out of breath time and I did everything for a few days. If I had to do it for this length of time I would cranky but he is as sweet as ever!!
The other day in Palm Beach I saw a car and trailer from BC, it was exciting. Larry decided that it was time to be heading home if seeing a BC plate excites me.
While we have been here, Mark, Carli, Isabelle, Brady and Carrie with Gung Gung and Aunt Krista had a week in Disneyland. They all had a blast. The kids were a little short for some of the rides but the ones they could go on they loved. They must have thier mom's Disney blood in them.
More later.
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